Grendel questions

[Greg_R]

Been a member here a short time mow and reading everything that's coming across here. Lots of good info and I have learned a lot. Just to follow up with a few questions and see if I have this right. My goal is a rifle that I can use from right in front of the blind to out to 400 -500 yards across a bean field. Primary game species are whitetail deer and feral hogs.

1, I need to bed the barrel extension to the reciever. Will purple threadlocker be acceptable. Should give me the option of easier barrel removal if it becomes necessary.

2, I chose a 20" barrel from AR Stoner. 1:8 twist 5R rifling. I know it's a rack grade barrel. Hoping for better than 1 MOA. What are my chances, any tricks?

3, uses a standard 30 caliber muzzle device. I like the looks of the Predator style. Would I be better served by a linear compensator? How about just a thread protector?

4, the AR Stoner barrel is a Grendel chamber that requires a .136 bolt for proper headspacing. I purchased an AR Stoner bolt carrier group to go with the barrel. The description of the bolt does not specify measurements, but the bolt is marked Grendel II. Am I ok?

5, I have a bunch of 7.62x39 brass. All large primer. Headstamps are F C, PMC, Winchester, PPU, Fiocchi, Remington. In that order. Any issues with reforming this brass?

6, I think for my purposes I will use 8208 powder and Sierra 107 grain Match Kings. Any issues with this combination? How about the SMK as a hunting bullet? I use a lot of Sierra bullets, but never used the Match King, usually use the Game King and Varmiter bullets in my rifles.

7, I like RCBS dies. Any reason I can not use the .265 LBC dies for my 6.5 Grendel?

Thanks, and I'm looking forward to your responses.

[VASCAR2]

1, I need to bed the barrel extension to the reciever. Will purple threadlocker be acceptable. Should give me the option of easier barrel removal if it becomes necessary.

"I've never used purple, consensus here on this forum is blue Locktite or Permatex blue medium strength works good for bedding a barrel extension into an upper receiver. Squaring the receiver face with a lapping tool and bedding the barrel with blue Permatex has worked well for me."

2, I chose a 20" barrel from AR Stoner. 1:8 twist 5R rifling. I know it's a rack grade barrel. Hoping for better than 1 MOA. What are my chances, any tricks?

"Bedding the barrel into the receiver and squaring the front of a forged receiver with a lapping tool has to help. I also bed the gas block with blue Permatex but others have reportedly used Red Locktite on the gas blocks. I use anti-seize on the barrel nut and torque the barrel nut to spec. I've had no issues with barrel nuts coming loose."

3, uses a standard 30 caliber muzzle device. I like the looks of the Predator style. Would I be better served by a linear compensator? How about just a thread protector?

"Many forum members have used 30 caliber muzzle breaks, flash hiders and suppressors with the 6.5 Grendel. With the 6.5 Grendel's mild recoil I find a target crown barrel shoot great. My 20" Shilen 6.5 Grendel barrel has a plain muzzle with no threading. I've had no desire to add a muzzle device"

4, the AR Stoner barrel is a Grendel chamber that requires a .136 bolt for proper headspacing. I purchased an AR Stoner bolt carrier group to go with the barrel. The description of the bolt does not specify measurements, but the bolt is marked Grendel II. Am I ok?

"Midway has recently changed from Satern/Liberty barrels to possibly Bear Creek Armory. The earlier AR Stoner barrels were sold with matching bolt whereas Midway now sell bolts and BCG for their AR Stoner barrels. To my knowledge AR Stoner barrels have only been chambered to use .136 bolt face depth 6.5 Grendel bolts commonly referred to as Type II. You should be fine with the bolt/BCG you purchased from Midway."

5, I have a bunch of 7.62x39 brass. All large primer. Headstamps are F C, PMC, Winchester, PPU, Fiocchi, Remington. In that order. Any issues with reforming this brass?

"I have fire formed 7.62X39 brass to 6.5 Grendel and still use it for places where I might not be able to recover my brass. I FF my X39 brass before I had many 6.5 Grendel brass. I don't think it is worth buying X39 brass to fireform but if you have some cheap blem bullets it is feasible. The primer pockets on X39 brass loosen quicker than most 6.5 Grendel brass so I only load my X39 brass with moderate powder charges. The FF X39 brass has less case capacity so you have to reduce your powder charge accordingly."

6, I think for my purposes I will use 8208 powder and Sierra 107 grain Match Kings. Any issues with this combination? How about the SMK as a hunting bullet? I use a lot of Sierra bullets, but never used the Match King, usually use the Game King and Varmiter bullets in my rifles.

"I've loaded some 8208 with 107 grain SMK with good results and I wouldn't use these for anything but varmints. I have tested the 120 grain Pro Hunter in water out of a 16" bullet. The performance is similar to the 120 grain Nosler BT but the BT has a better Ballistic Coefficient. For short range work I like the 120 grain Pro Hunter where I buy factory seconds from the Sierra outlet store. I also really like the 85 & 100 grain Sierra Varmint bullets. I also have had good results with H-335 powder and 100-107 grain bullets."

7, I like RCBS dies. Any reason I can not use the .265 LBC dies for my 6.5 Grendel?

"I have a set of 264 LBC SB TC dies and I like them, they work but really no better or worse than Hornady dies. I broke a decapping pin on my RCBS 264 dies and it takes a smaller diameter non standard decapping pin. I had to call RCBS to get the correct decapping pin. Lapua brass uses a very small flash hole in 6.5 Grendel brass requiring the non standard decapping pin."

I hope this helps.